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You're Worth More than You Think

Friday, August 7, 2015

Have you ever felt like you're worth nothing? That if something happened to you, nobody would care? That you don't know what to do with your life? That you're lost? I can bet you've thought that at least once in your life. I'm here to tell you that you're worth WAY more than you think and you've affected someone's life before! Just when you think you're not making an impact on someone or their life, it's quite the opposite. Go that extra mile to buy someone a coffee, hold the door open, have a conversation with a complete stranger, serve people who can't serve you. Life is too short and too precious to take advantage of our time here on Earth. It's okay to not know what you want to do with your life. Not only do I love you, but God loves you too. He loves us no matter what we do, unconditionally, regardless of our mistakes.

I returned on Wednesday from my mission trip in Peru. My life will never be the same. I was prepared for my life to be changed, but not as drastically as it has. I now see the world as a place that needs serious help as a whole. Too many people are worried about the negative, which is a domino effect people! Enough with that negativity! There are crazy people in this world, no doubt. Killing people and animals for no reason, robbing places, lying, jeesh... the list goes on! We need to all be there for each other and BE the change.

In Peru, we visited the village of El Milagro (The Miracle), which is a village my church has been working with for a few years now. Here we hosted vacation bible schools for children and bible study for adults. My first day there, I could feel the kids being a little shy at first, not knowing who all of these Americans are knocking on their doors inviting them to church. As the day went on, my heart grew close to a few of the little girls Nayeli and Andrea. I do not speak a lot of Spanish at all really, just enough for a basic conversation. Trying to communicate was very hard, but the girls and I laughed and took pictures and really bonded as the day went on. By our third day there, I felt a love for them that I can't even begin to explain. Nayeli was off to the side crying during one of the games, and I went over to see if everything was okay when I saw people standing around her. She didn't want to talk with all of those people around her. She just wanted to talk to me. I had to get the translator to understand her, but eventually I knew what was hurting her feelings. She trusted me. The kids didn't care what I was saying to them, because they couldn't understand me. Being able to show them that I loved and cared for them meant more than words could ever say.

By Sunday when we said goodbye, the waterworks really started pouring down my face. I felt like I had known the people in this village and the children for way longer than 7 days. As if saying goodbye wasn't hard enough, Andrea and Nayeli handed me goodbye letters, (Okay NOW the waterworks were really falling)! David, our awesome translator, started to read me the letters. It was so touching, when I started to cry, I saw the tears roll from David's face as well. The girls described to me their favorite animals and colors, that I was as beautiful as a princess, they look up to me, and they hope and pray God will always be with me. I couldn't believe it. They really took the time to write me a letter and Nayeli even attached a picture from her First Communion.

To think I really made that big of an impact on two little girls who I could barely speak to, was really an eye-opener for me. My heart was so broken to leave the children. When I was thinking about how much I was doing to help this village and help these children, they were honestly the ones who helped me. They helped me realize there is so much to be done in this world. There are so many people who need love and hope and God. God brought me to Peru to show me my purpose in this world. It's to serve Him.

A little thing I must add is that I was very scared I was going to have to drop out of the trip. My job was giving me a tough time about getting two extra days off, even though I requested to have the time off in March. They said if I still went that I would be resigning my position. I tried to switch my flights, but it was just unethical and would cost way too much money to change everything to leave earlier. Honestly, I was pretty much going to call out for the two days I didn't have approval for. I accepted I would possibly be fired if I made this decision. Something in my heart told me God would work it out. On Friday (two days before we were leaving), to my sudden surprise, someone very high up in my company sat down with me and reviewed my file and asked me what was going on with my vacation approval. Two hours later he called me back in, told me my vacation was fully approved and that my prayer was answered. God practically was pushing me to go on this trip with his own two hands.

The point I'm trying to make, if you haven't already figured it out, is follow your heart y'all! Listen to the little voices in your head telling you to go that extra mile for someone, or even for yourself! Just a simple hello or a smile can really make someone's day. You are all beautiful people. Serving God and seeing his unconditional love for me and through me is something I hope everyone I know and love can experience. Going on a mission trip should be a journey that everyone should try. I feel so thankful for getting the chance to meet amazing people, and to be closer to God. Now that my mission trip is over in Peru, it's begun in Massachusetts. I'm ready to serve here and help anyone and everyone that I can here.

Have any of you been on a mission trip? What are some little things you can do to make someone's day?
Stay KooKoo my friends, and do some good in the world!

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Hi! I'm Sarah! I'm a twenty something year old living with my sweet supportive husband in Massachusetts with our two pups. Follow along as we fix our first home, struggle with infertility, and beyond. Click to read more.